WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) released the following regarding President Trump’s budget submitted to Congress Thursday.

“President Trump’s budget, along with his January 23 hiring freeze and March 13 executive order, amount to a full-scale assault on the hundreds of thousands of patriotic, dedicated public servants – mostly middle class – who work 24/7 on behalf of the American people. These are the individuals nationwide who support our servicemen and women on the battlefield; who care for our veterans; who guard our borders; who ensure that our air is safe to breathe, our water safe to drink, and our food safe to eat; who explore the outer reaches of the universe and the inner workings of a single cell; who discover new treatments and cures for diseases; who protect consumers from fraud; who process tax returns and Social Security benefits; and who promote our values and interests abroad.

“Last month, President Trump said that federal workers ‘would have to do more with less.’ What he fails to understand is that federal workers have been doing that for years – enduring hiring and pay freezes, furloughs, budget cuts and more. As our population has grown, the civilian federal workforce is smaller now than it was over 40 years ago. The only course of action will be to do less with less, and the American people will suffer.  Our federal workers are a critical national asset. Marginalizing their work, treating them with disdain and disrespect, will have harmful consequences – not just for them and their families, but for everyone. 

“Universally, Congress must quickly reject the president’s budget before the absurdity of his proposed cuts causes ripples of uncertainty and fear across the national economy and local communities from coast to coast.”

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